Brooklyn, Portland, Seattle, Atlanta, Los Angeles: well-known cities that have recently been deemed hotspots for gentrification. While interning for a boutique PR firm in Koreatown, I came to realize that some of the “trendiest” and most frequented restaurants — by foodies, millennials and teen pop sensations — were popping up in unexpected parts of LA. After doing some research, talking with my food-expert co-workers, and exploring the streets and eats of DTLA, here’s what I found.
What is Gentrification?
Gentrification is a hot topic in today’s culture; notorious for replacing local habitants and businesses with higher-end (and often more expensive) establishments. The controversy revolving around gentrification is not unwarranted, as it is causes difficult transitions for locals, but can benefit small businesses taking advantage of cheaper real estate and a desired trend of “hole in the wall” style restaurants.
Gentrification in Los Angeles is not new — it has gradually spread throughout entire districts, replacing gas stations with coffee shops and markets with brunch hotspots, until a new district becomes desirable. While the theory alone seems harmful, many of the incoming small businesses and entrepreneurs make honest efforts to maintain the culture that has thrived in these districts for decades.
So before we go Frank Gallagher anti-gentrification ranting, take a look at some of the Los Angeles hot-spots that have flourished and brought attention to communities and cultures all around the city.
Venice Beach
Land of street performances, a tattoo shop haven, and stoners galore — no more. Quoted as the “Beverly Hills by the sea,” Venice Beach is one of the priciest and most-desired neighborhoods in California.
However, what was once considered an affordable beach house in the 1970s has become an impossible mortgage for the majority of house-hunters (the median home value has spiked to a whopping $1.6 million). Artsy, trendy, beautiful and young; the perfect description of the architecture and the people spotted while perusing Abbot Kinney Blvd.
The same can be said of the food-scene on this half-mile block of expensive boutiques and colorful coffee shops, from The Butcher’s Daughter and Blue Bottle Coffee to Gjusta and Gjelina.
Silver Lake
Once one of the poorest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Silver Lake underwent massive (and extremely controversial) gentrification through the 90s.
A mecca for fusion food, yoga-going youths, and an artistic atmosphere of many cultures, Silver Lake has become a hotspot for LA locals to spend a trendy Sunday. Voted No. 1 “Hippest Hipster Neighborhood in America” by Forbes, this district is sure to excite and surprise the tourist and foodie alike.
From Sqirl and Dinosaur Coffee to Alimento and Silverlake Ramen, culture surely maintains a stronghold on this trendy town.
While this article only highlights the latest food-scenes of two gentrified neighborhoods in Los Angeles, many many more exist and continue to pop up on every block. While gentrification absolutely has its downsides, its impacts can influence locals’ exploration and appreciation of a variety of diverse cultural districts (and tastes) that may have been overlooked.